St. Landry democrat., 1887-04-23
THE PARTY AND IT'S ORGANIZA-
TON,
N. o. Piculne.

N. o. Picunc
If democracy means anything ii
means "a government OF the people
| by the people, for the people" No one
| has ever ventured to say In 80 many
| words that it means a government by a
close corporation under the pretense OF
party organization.
We are often reminded that free in
stitutions cannot be maintained with
out parties, and that parties without or
| panization are as pOwerlesS as armies
without drill and discipline. The
nroposition is sound enough, and we
object only to the inference which GER
tain political martinets seek to draw
from it. The party proper is an in
strument of popular will. 1t is intend
ed to give expression and effect to pub
lie opinion. If it happens to be in the
minority it accepts defeat as a tempo
rary necessity, but labOrs by every
honorable means to popularize its prin-
ciple and its policy. If, on the other
hand, it is in the majority it places its
best, ablest and most representative
men in office, and strives to show the
Justice of its victory by the success OF
| its administration.
So much is theory. AS a matter OF
fact, when q party has been long IN
power it usually falls into the hands of
few so-cailed practical politicians,
and consequently loses its popular char
acter. 1t is then no longer used as a
means, but as an end in itself. One is
told that he must support his party
whether it is right or wrong, and that
he must vote for its nominees whether
or not he has been allowed to partici-
pate either directly or indirectly in
their nomination.
| 1t might be said that in such a case
the party would be abandoned by the
majority of its members. In reality,
however, we know that men will cling
| to their party long after it has ceased to
| be representative, and after its mana
gers and political dictators have lost
| interest in everything but the honors
and emoluments of office They are
unwilling to go over to the opposite
party because that party is avowediy
opposed to their own settled convlc-
tions Moreover, they dislike to take
a step which will bring upon them the
charge of desertion. That charge will
be made even against the man who Is
bold enough to join an independent
movement in behalf of tie neglected
principles of the party which he aban-
dons as a desp0tic and worse than use
less organization. Here in Louisiana
the party fealty of distinguished and
lifelong Democrats has been denied be-
cause in local contest they have op-
posed the election, not OF the nominee
of the party proper, bnt OF an arbltra-
~ and -perpetuatlng organization.
The point upon which we wish to in
sist is that the party proper is often one
thing while the machinery OF its or
caniZation is quite another. Do we,
therefore, maintain that parties should
attempt to maintain themselves with
ont organization By no means. We
only urge the supreme necessity OF
efftcting an organization which shall
be en- yuppOW with the animatlng spirit
of the whole body of the party, or at
least with that of its majority. When
that agreement does not exist it is high
time for the majority to assert itself
within the party 10y the most available
and effective means within its reach.
The Democratic party in Louisiana is
not mainly composed OF professional
office-seekers, wardSharps and hood
lums. 1t is, on the contrary, a highly
respectable body, cherishing noble ira
dtions and founded upon bread and
Just principles OF public policy. The
only reform it needs is a change in its
organization whereby it will fall under
the control of the majority. In other
words, the managers OF the party must
be its servants and not its masters. Is
it possible to effect such a change? ?
There can be no doubt about it if by
any means we can contrive to have fair
primaries and representative cOnven-
tions. The fight was very nearly won
in the last gubernatorial canvass. A
slight difference in the vote of two or
three wards in New Orleans would
have made the reform element domi-
nant in the Baton Rouge Convention.
But intimidation and fraud in some in
stances, and neglect Of plain duty in
Others, gave the victory to the ring and
the machine. That need not occur
again. The people have only to show
that they "mean business and that
they will not lightly permit themselves
to be robbed of their rights as citizens,
freemen and Democrats.
1t behooves us of Louisiana III the
coming election to see that none but
good men and true ones are elected to
the Legislature. Nomatter who is Gov
ernor, Sheriff or Judge, let's have the
right men to make the laws. Our peo-
ple should remember that it is the Leg
islature that holds the strings OF our
rockets, and we should guard against
the fleeing of the same by the unwar-
rantable and questionable acts OF such
bodies, by sending good men to make
our laws.-Robeline Reporter.
Co,orol N;obn1lc sbnuld aartoinlV feel |